Reviews

Tom Clancy's EndWar

Tom Clancy's EndWar was well-received by Gabe when he reviewed the game for the 360 and PlayStation 3, but I wasn't really feeling as enthused when I played through the campaigns in the PC version. There are only a few unit types, and the core gameplay revolves around exploiting a simple paper-rock-scissors power structure. Gunships are tank killers, tanks eat transports for breakfast, and transports have powerful anti-aircraft guns. Are you snoring yet? I sure was.

Besides properly using those three unit types, you also have to deal with the grunts. Infantry plays a vital role, as they're able to secure uplinks, which provide the game's command points resource. By controlling uplinks, you can thus call in reinforcements, and upgrade your units to unlock powerful new attacks, like the WMDs and air strikes that can turn the tides of battle.

In addition to the innovative voice-operated controls, EndWar also manages to portray combat at ground zero in a fairly entertaining way. Some of the animation work is excellent, like how individual soldiers in infantry squads will scramble to take cover or hop onto transports. I also got a kick out of the transport helicopters that would come in to bail my units out when they were suppressed by enemy fire. EndWar didn't really impress me visually, though, thanks to an inexcusable downgrade in fidelity when compared to the console versions' graphics. If you're a PC gamer that was interested in EndWar but was holding out for the definitive PC version, you're going to be disappointed.

Maybe I've played too many good strategy games recently, but EndWar feels too simplistic and bland for my tastes. The game's three factions are functionally identical, lacking the individuality and distinctive feel that we take for granted in modern strategy games. The overly brief battles also feel anticlimactic. You get the right matchup for a particular hostile unit and send them in to point blank range to tear them apart. If the AI applies this strategy to you, the challenge lies in quickly retreating that unit and securing a more favorable matchup. There is little actual strategy at play here, just reacting quickly to what the AI gives you and not making boneheaded mistakes.

The only part of the experience that feels like actual gameplay is relaying the orders over voice chat, which often feels more like a novelty than a true evolution in RTS interface design. Voice command worked well on consoles, since until Halo Wars, it was hard to find an interface that came close to matching the speed and fluidity of the PC's mouse and keyboard. But on the PC it's just easier to do more, faster and more precisely, with standard controls. Having to state individual attack orders for each of my unit types just defines inefficiency. Where's the "All units, attack!" order?

My dream scenario of playing through a series of engrossing combat scenarios while pacing around my desk and yelling out orders like General Patton quickly dissipated. There's no voice command for telling your infantry to garrison or take cover, so you have to do some basic micromanagement with the mouse and keys if you want to keep the grunts alive. The camera also has a nasty habit of not providing the ideal vantage point for picking out targets, so I found myself managing the camera as often as I was giving orders.

Things got a lot more interesting when I checked out the Theater of War multiplayer mode. This is essentially a persistent world map, where players do battle across the globe in order to secure regional control for their faction. By adding an overworld meta-game into the mix, an extra level of strategy is injected into an experience that sorely needs it. Compete in battles, and your units will get stronger, rewarding you for your efforts. It's one small step closer to the massively multiplayer RTS that so many of us dream about. Nexon's Shattered Galaxy tried it years ago with some success. It's time for someone to step up and do it right.

There are other real-time strategy games that deserve your attention before you consider Tom Clancy's EndWar. While the voice command feature is interesting, games like World in Conflict, Empire: Total War, and Company of Heroes offer far more depth and are ultimately easier to recommend.